Regardless of Conclusion, Rangers' 2015 Already a Winner

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DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 23: Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister #28 argues with home plate umpire Adam Hamari after third baseman Adrian Beltre #29 (not in photo) was thrown out of the game during the fifth inning of the game against the Detroit Tigers on August 23, 2015 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Even if the Rangers don’t win another game this season, 2015 will be a success.

No? Just ask my friend who, when we were in Las Vegas over the weekend, cashed a winning ticket on the team.

Seems like an easy bet in hindsight. The Rangers, after all, have 80 wins with 13 games remaining. They’ll assuredly finish over .500 and have a one-game lead on the Astros in the AL West with a huge three-game series looming in Houston this weekend. They could be a playoff team that finishes 10+ games over Las Vegas’ prediction.

That was an unlikely scenario in the spring after Jurickson Profar and Yu Darvish were pronounced out for the season.

While enjoying this enthralling playoff race, let’s not forget the improbable journey en route to this dramatic destination. The Rangers have overachieved this season. Big time.

A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.